Air heater



5. D. RICH AIR HEATER Qec. 16, "1930.

Filed March 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 oocvm 000a; Q

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INVENTOR DZ e/meafl. fi Z ATTORNEY S. D. RICH .AIR HEATER Dec. 16, 1930.

Filed March 5, 1929 2 Sheets$heet 2 M TH L I :Wm m I 5 m Z x m 1/ wm l l H H l l l l H HH I I I HHH H H W I I I I I I I I I H I H I I IU IHH H I I M I I I I I INVENTOR If WITNESVSES 22 uzezji'izk/z 5 m ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sTELMEn 1). RICE, F NEwronT, MAINE, ASSIGNOR 0E ONE-HALF TO CUYLER w. RICH, or NEWPORT, MAINE AIR HEATER Application filed March 5,

This invention relates to" a device adapted t-obe'usedin-conjunction with a fiue or chimney of a stove, furnace or the like, and a source of cold air, to utilize the heat which ordinarily wastefully escapes through such flue or chimney, for the purpose of heating the air, which is permitted to circulate into a room or compartment to heat the same.

: Some of the objects of the invention are:

to' increase the thermal efliciency of devices of the character mentioned; to improve the construction of a device of the indicated character to the end that the device may be manufactured with comparative economy, and so that the parts thereof may be readily assembled and disassembled, to enable repairs or cleaning operations to be carried out in a con venient' and expeditious manner whenever necessary or desirable.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in theparticular provision, construction and relative dispositionof the parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the features of the invention, a portion of one of the drum heads or plates being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken onthe line 2 -2 of Fig. 1. 1

' Fig. 3 is asectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, and illustrating the device connected in av flue of a stove or the like, portions of the flue being shown, and also showing'in dot and dash lines a portion of a cold a ir conduit.

Referring now more particularly to the several views of the drawing, it will be apparent, that the device includes a tapered heating drum orcasing having an intake thimble or neck '11 and an exhaust thimble or neck 12' respectively arranged on opposite sides'of the drum or casing 10 in communication with the interior thereof, and said neck 11 being arranged above the neck 12, or in other Words, offset with respect thereto. The said drum or casing 10, cross sectionally considered, is elliptical or ovoidal in form so as to give greater volume while requiring com 1929. Serial No. 344,461.

paratively small space between the flue or chimney ends 14 and 14 respectively connected with the necks 11 and 12. An end plate or head 15 has a marginal rim or flange 16 which conforms to'the tapered wall of the casi ng 10 and fits in the larger upper end thereof. An end plate or head 17 having a marginal rim or flange 18 which conforms to the tapering form of the wall of the casing 10 fits in the smaller end of the casing 10. The said plates or heads 17 are connected together by fastening elements such as the screw bolts 19, and define with the wall of the casing 10 a heat chamber 20. The plates or heads 15 and 17 have elongated openings 21 therein which are in alinem'ent with each other. A relatively wide tube 22 has the opposite ends thereof fitted to necks 23 on the plates or heads 15 and 17 surrounding the openings 21. It will now be apparent that there is provided an air passage centrally of the drum or casing 10 opening through the opposite ends thereof. The tube 22 constitutes a bafiie between the intake neck 11 and exhaust or outlet neck 12. The plates or heads 15 and 17 also have a series of openings 24 arranged in pairs in alinement with each other, and a tube 25 has the opposite ends thereof fitted to necks 26 on the insides of the'plates or heads 15 and 17 surrounding each pair of openings 24 respectively. It will now be apparent that the tube 22' and tubes 25 are arranged within the drum or casing 10 between the plates or heads 15 and 17, and are held in place by said. plates or heads when thelatter are fastened together by the bolts 19. To the lower end of the drum or casing 10 may be connected an extending casing, such as is shown in dot and dash lines and designated 27, with which to control the source of the air supplied to the tube 22 and tubes 25;

From the foregoing it will be apparent that when the hot gases or products of combustion from a stove, furnace or the like, enters the drum or casing 10 through the intake or inletll that they will encounter the tube 22 which functions as a bafiie, bacause it is in the directline of draft, andthereby compels the escaping heat to spread out and come into contact with the surfaces of the tubes .25 r

to heat the same and therefore the air circulating through thetubes. By having the exhaust neck 12 below the intake neck 11, a greater volume of heated air is retained in the chamber 20 above the center thereof out of the line of draft, consequently the thermal efiiciency of the device will be comparatively great. It will also be apparent thatthe air j.

within the tube 22 and tubes 25 will not only be heated, but circulation thereof will be stimulated. The fact that said tubes "are vertically disposed, and that the cool or cold air enters at the bottom thereof, causes the heat-'- ed air in said tubes to be forced out at the top thereof.

In order to remove soot from the interior wall of the drum or casing 10, and the surfaces of the tubes exposed to the hot gases or products, of combustion, there is provided a cleaner member 28 whichhas openings therein to accommodate the tube 22 and tubes 25.

The said member-28 has securedthereto a manipulator 29 which extends through the plate or head 15 so as to provide means for reciprpcating the member 28 from the exterior of the drum or casing 10. In this manner the soot or other products of combustion will bev loosened and be carried off by the draft of the flue or chimney; the heavy particles remaining on the bottom of the heating chamber until such a time when the central unit is removed from the casing 10.

It will also be apparent that the plates or heads 15 and 17, together with the tubes 22 and 25Vand cleaner member 28 are held by the bolts 19 associated with each other, and that they may be withdrawn from the drum or casing 10 as a unit.

I claim: 1. A heater of the class described comprisinga casing section adapted to be connected in a flue of'a stove or the like, said casing section. being'of tapering, form, and a separate unit consisting of relatively large and small heads, tubes arranged between said heads to form therewith air passages, and means for securing said heads together with said tubes held in a place between said heads, said unit thus constructed being adapted for removable disposition in said casing section and when disposed therein defining therewith a. heat chamber through which the heated flue gas circulates, for the purpose of heating said tubes to heat the air circulating through said passages; and a cleaner associated with said unitand adapted to be manipulated to remove soot from the interior surfaces of said casing section and tubes.

2. In a heater of the class described, a drum having a heat chamber, said drum being provided with intake and exhaust nipples for connecting said drum in a flue of a stove or analogous device, said nipples being arranged on opposlte sides of said drum, said drum being ovoidal in cross sectio n, a tube disposed centrally of said heat chamber and opening through the opposite ends of the drum, to present an air" passage, said tube being oblong in cross-section, one broadside of said tube serving as a baffle against which the flue gas is impinged and around which it has to pass on its way from said intake nipple to said exhaust nipple, and a series of tubes extending through said heat chamber and opening through the opposite ends of said drum to present a series of air passages.

8. A heater of the class described comprising a casing section adapted to be connected inanuptake flue of a stove or analogous device, said casing section being tapered from the upper end toward the lower end, and a unit consisting of alarge upper head and a relatively small lower head, each head having openings therein and nipples surrounding said openings respectively, tubes having the opposite ends respectively engaged with pairs of nipples on said heads. to form air passages, and means for separably connecting said heads andtubes together, said unit thus constructedbeing adapted for removable disposition in said casing section to define therewith a. heatchamber throughwhich the flue gas circulates, with said tubes disposed in said heat chamber to be heated by the gas, to heat the-air circulating through said air passages.

4. A heater of the class described, comprising. the combination of a casing section adapted to be connected in a'flue of a stove or the like, a separate unit consisting'of heads,

tubes arranged between said heads to form V moving soot from the surfaces of said tubes and casing section, and said unitthus constructed beingadapted for removable disposition in said casing section and when disposed therein defining therewith a heat chamber throughwhiohthe heated flue gas circulates, for the purpose of heating saidtubes to heat the air circulating through said pass f sages.

' STELMER Damon, 

